What do a crab, a prosthetic limb and Justin Bieber all have in common?

It might sound like a dodgy Christmas cracker joke but in fact these are just some of the more bizarre items that have been left onboard a National Express coach.

Bosses have issued the festive reminder to passengers to remember their bags – revealing some of the weird and wonderful items which have been left behind over the years.

Top of the list was a live giant CRAB which was found on board a Coventry to Inverness service which, bizarrely, had no seaside stops.

At the time the Telegraph reported how bosses brought in a special coach to transport the creature to Blackpool, where marine biologists advised on returning it to the sea from the end of the pier.

Other strange items found by staff include a signed photograph of pop star Justin Bieber, which was left behind on a coach returning from a gig at Wembley Stadium and a false leg which was worn, and subsequently removed by a passenger who disembarked without it.

Also discovered were a bag containing only two lime green ‘mankinis’ and an oversized 40th birthday badge, a pair of full-sized feathered Indian headdresses, brand new boxed mountain bikes, and a small Chilean creature called a degu, which was susequently adopted by the boss of Liverpool coach station.

Claire Horvath, lost property manager at National Express’ Birmingham headquarters, said: “It’s absolutely unbelievable the things people leave on the coaches and on more than one occasion I’ve been left rubbing my eyes in the lost property room.

“Christmas is a time when thousands of extra people are travelling with National Express and many will be carrying gifts for friends and family so we want to remind customers to be extra vigilant.”

The operator is expecting to transport hundreds of thousands over the festive period after unveiling a seasonal timetable which includes double the number of services running on Christmas Day.